


When In Doubt, Call In The Estranged Relatives

by Poker



Series: Girl Genius Event Week 2019 [1]
Category: Girl Genius (Webcomic)
Genre: A few scenes, Dimo doesn’t want to be promoted, Gen, Girl Genius Event Week, Heterodyne cuteness, Vole is a good uncle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-11-27 06:50:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20944124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Poker/pseuds/Poker
Summary: (Part of Girl Genius Event Week)A few years ago, Vole found a Heterodyne Girl and planned to teach her how to be a proper Heterodyne. But with Beetleburg in chaos, some secrets have to be discarded to keep the kid safe. Even if that means Vole actually has to talk to other Jägers.





	When In Doubt, Call In The Estranged Relatives

**Author's Note:**

> Fics that Pass in the Night - Day 1  
“ The fic that requires too much backstory and I just want to write the one cool scene “
> 
> These scenes really stuck with me, so I chose them for my first event week fic! Never fear, the actual story fic in this universe will be coming soon!
> 
> Background for those who don’t know: When Agatha was young, she ran into Vole who recognized her. Instead of killing her, he decided to raise her as a proper Heterodyne (not because he actually likes the kid or anything, Uncle is just for show, yup).

“And they knew my father?” Agatha said. Vole hummed agreement. He had her wrapped in his coat but dragging attention now meant bad things.

“Hyu vill stay here until hyur Momma and Poppa can be found.” Vole answered, under his breath. He growled at a nearby Lackya sending them scurrying away. He’d do far more than that, but he had patrol to get back to.

When unrest erupted in Beetleburg, they went after constructs first. Vole went against orders to retrieve his kid, but Punch and Judy were nowhere to be found.

He hissed as she accidentally knocked against a bullet wound, gaining a mumbled apology. His clothes couldn’t get worse.

And Vole still had patrol.

But the Lady Heterodyne has to be kept safe. That meant measures Vole had not wanted to take.

Those guys.

No guards which was good. Vole didn’t feel like getting stopped now. “Hyu have a gun.” Vole said. “H’use effen dey try anythink.” Agatha nodded, one hand under her own coat. Smart girl.

“But I’ll have you there with me.” Agatha said, smiling brightly. Vole nearly tightened his grip, remembering how delicate she was.

Vole kicked the door. Then kicked again.

These guys were getting slow. Unsurprising.

Gene- Krizhan slammed the door open. “Vat n-“ Vole pushes Agatha in his arms, Krizhan instinctively catching the new weight.

“Keep de Lady Heterodyne safe. Hy haff patrol. Punch und Judy are gone.” Agatha’s eyes went wide with shock, but Vole was already turning, not quite running away.

She’d be safe there. The generals, idiotic as they were, would never hurt a Heterodyne.

They would also never let him near her.

It was necessary. It was right.

Vole told Agatha he’d keep her safe. So that's what he was going to do.

* * *

Khrizhan stared down at the child in his arms. She was wrapped quite well in Vole’s coat, blinking down the hallway. 

Did Vole say Lady Heterodyne?

He had to check. Khrizhan leaned down, took a deep breath.

The smell hit him like a crashing dirigible. Not a byblow, but far stronger. A child of the blood had been found! Khrizhan’s grin stretched wide, even as the rattle of teapots came from behind him.

“Vhat the dumboozle iz going on here?” Zog snapped. Khrizhan laughed, turning.

“It appearz a Heterodyne haz been found.” Zog reared up, snappy bastard, but the high pitched whine of a gun cut him off, a point settling in his ribs.

The child was furious, glaring up at him. In her arms was a rudimentary gun, useful and clever! A Spark already! That boded good things. 

“Who are you! Where did Uncle Vole go?” She demanded. Vole, huh? He had brought the girl but clearly this had gone deeper.

What an interesting surprise.

“Put de gun down, hyu von’t be able to hurt me.” Khrizhan dismisses, he placed her down in Goomblast’s favorite chair. Goomblast himself was still pausing, holding his teapot. Her smell had quickly overpowered the lingering remnants of Vole and smoke, steadily filling the room.

A Heterodyne. They’d be going home soon. Khrizhan grinned showing off his fangs, as the girl scooted back in the chair holding her gun like a safety blanket.

“Hy’m goink to find Vole. Hy see he haff news for us.” Khrizhan said. The girl frowned, like she was dredging up a memory and deciding what to with it.

“You’re the Generals he told me about.” She said. Her head snapped around to stare at Zog. “Did you really face the Roman army at the Gilded pass?” The child was practically bouncing. Perfect. She’d be well distracted.

Khrizhan gestured, already heading out the door. Zog nodded even as Goomblast hurried to get the tea back together.

Vole may be an exile, but Khrizhan knew his schedules. And the smell of blood was strong in the air. They’d be needing the bandages then. He could hear the raised voices.

A Lackya was arguing with Vole when he turned the corner. Oh that made it far easier than, the Lackya had been a thorn in their sides.

“You abandoned your post!”

“Ho, go fire hyuself out ov a cannon, hyu squirrel.” Vole snapped. Khrizhan coughed, handily catching Vole’s shoulder as he spun. Khrizhan dug his fingers in, cutting off the low growl.

“Hy vill see to him.” Krizhan said. The Lackya looked five seconds from snapping. Krizhan smiles wide. Please. He’d welcome the fight.

Disappointingly, it fled, turning the corner with startlingly speed. Squirrels, the lot of them. Khrizhan set his other hand on Vole’s other shoulder, restraining. “Hyu shouldn’t skip de debrief.” Krizhan said. It came out as a low growl. Vole knew when to skip dragging his heels in, but it was still being an annoyance.

“Hy do not report to hyu.” Vole snapped. Khrizhan narrows his eyes.

“Ho? Und vhat about de Lady Heterodyne?” That got a reaction, Vole’s shoulders stiffening. 

Khrizhan has been there for Vole’s tribunal. None of them had expected Vole to last for so long. They’d considered that Vole could no longer see the troth.

And today he showed with the Lady Heterodyne, safe and whole.

A mystery, oh Khrizhan loved those.

Vole growled a low rising sound but Khrizhan, laughed pushing him through the doorway. Ho, those were claws, Vole was angry.

“Uncle Vole!”

And Apparently the new Heterodyne girl was fast.

Vole shifted, catching the Heterodyne with the ease of long experience. Khrizhan stepped forward, shut the door firmly behind him. This was something that should not be let out to outsiders.

“Zo, Uncle Vole.” Zog said because he was as subtle as a brick. Khrizhan groaned. Why did he have to be the subtle one?

Vole glowered, a low rumbling growl, barely strained by the numerous wounds beginning to bleed through his shirt. Good for him, youngsters were stubborn like that.

“Vole! Don’t be mean!” The girl chided. Vole looked like the act pained him. But he was listening. Even more interesting.

“No vun vould look at my siblinks.” Vole edged out. “De Baron vould see my vizits othervise.” 

“So he became Uncle Vole! I already had an Uncle but Vole won’t leave me.” The girl babbled. “Uncle Barry left years ago after he dropped me off.”

Goomblast’s hand stuttered over his tea cup as Khrizhan’s grip tightened on his chair. So, one of the boys was still alive in the last decade even if they were gone now. That was good news, even if he hadn’t been found yet.

“Could haff sworn hyu said hyu’d never obey a Heterodyne again.” Zog accused, and alright Khrizhan was going to hit him, this was a debriefing! Always asking the stupid questions and-

A teapot slammed down between them. “Hy suggest ve listen nicely.” Goomblast growled. Later, Khrizhan vowed. The girl was blinking in confusion but Vole had stepped back, looking half ready to take off.

“She iz not like dose vuns.” Vole snapped. “She iz a proper Heterodyne.”

Oh.

Krizhan shared a look with Goomblast. Honor guard loyalty there. This girl was something special to win Vole’s loyalty. They’d have to work on this.

“Vell, effen she be Heterodyne, den she should learn bandages.” Goomblast said, full of cheer. “Hyu shouldn’t get blood on de chairs.” 

Vole growled but the girl in his arms looked mad again. “You said you weren’t hurt!” She accused.

“Hy am not!” Vole said. Khrizhan was surprised the girl couldn’t smell the blood in the air by now. Vole must’ve had a nasty fight getting the child.

Already he was bending under her requests though, grumbling all the way.

Khrizhan made for his office. There were messages to send, the detached would have to moved to Gkika’s. Higgs to be alerted. Then to deal with Vole. 

Dimo, Maxim, And Oggie had been detached but they were a levelheaded group. Maxim had been friends with Vole, Oggie was good with children, and Dimo was smart enough to keep Vole on progress.

Being surrounded by brothers would impress the importance of the troth again.

A new Heterodyne and retrieving the only exiled Jäger, Khrizhan mused. This was shaping up to a very good start.

Vole was surrounded by Generals. And he had to take off his shirt.

At least Zog and Krizhan had left. He grumbled as thick bandages were wrapped around his ribs, even as Agatha hummed, fully concentrated on her work.

Maybe if he glared hard enough, Goomblast would combust like old Igneous.

Goomblast for his part looked like he was very carefully not being smug. Vole hated when other people were smug. “Don’t forget to check de stommick.” Goomblast said. “He alvays gets shot dere.”

Agatha hummed, nodding. It wasn’t quite the Hum yet, but she was getting closed. Good, the locket hadn’t damaged her.

“Her name iz Agatha.” Vole snapped, trying to get the attention off of him. That just made Goomblast even more smug.

“Ho, Agatha iz it?” Agatha nodded, tying a careful bow with the bandages. Her death ray was at least within grabbing distance. Vole eyed the door, idly calculating how hard he’d need to shoot Goomblast if they had to leave. 

Very hard, he decided as tempting as it was. And Agatha shouldn’t get more panicked. Stressing an animal could kill them. And it was nice sitting on the floor. Blood loss made him woozy and cold. Agatha was nice warm weight in his lap.

...why the hell did Goomblast look so smug?

“Hyu vill haff to stay unteel ve finish de debriefing thing.” That chill wasn’t from blood loss. “Ho, iz a good tink hy like to look in on relateeves. Zo much easier.”

They wouldn’t need him for that. Vole might as well look at picking his next assignment before he got shoved into some coincidental frippery that just so happened to need a Jäger.

“Agatha vould hyu be a gud girl und put de kit back?” Goomblast asked. Agatha eyed the plates he was working on speculatively. Smart girl.

“An extra spice cake.” She bargained. Goomblast blinked before shuffling the cake over with a laugh.

“Ho, ve haff a schmott gurl here.” He said with a wink. Vole shifted up, reaching for his shirt as soon as Agatha leapt off his lap, carry the kit into another room.

“Vhat.” Vole snapped. The Generals didn’t tend to do anything without fussing about advanced plans and all that.

“Hyu taught her vell.” Goomblast said. He turned, one hand settling on the table. “Iz surprisink. Hyu swore to neffer serve another.” Accent mostly dropped, he was serious.

Vole hissed, yanking his shirt on over her head. “She iz not like dem.” He hated the last ones, and never regretted a moment. But Agatha was not them.

The room was quiet for a moment. Zog and Khrizhan were talking somewhere, but too muffled for Vole to make it out. Goomblast has his thinking look on.

“Hyu vill not haff to leave her.” Goomblast said. He turned away again. “Ve vill not do dat.”

Vole looked away. Yeah, right. Until he got into trouble maybe.

...he could work with that. For now. If it was for Agatha.

* * *

“Dimo, iz been a vhile.” Dimo snapped to attention, knocking his two brothers over the head. Maxim hissed back, because he was fussy like that.

“Ve came as soon as ve heard.” Dimo said. That was making matters small, they hadn’t stopped running since they got the news. Even Dimo was starting to feel the exhaustion.

“Gud, gud.” Khrizhan. He gave them all a look. “She iz verry young, dis Heterodyne. Ve are keeping a sekret now.”

If the Heterodyne gets out, you’re gonna be mucking the stables for life. Dimo could read between the lines pretty well. He kicked Oggie to make him pay attention.

“Ennything ve should know?” Dimo asked. Khrizhan was awfully relaxed for such an important conversation. Baiting them relaxed.

Aw hell, he better not be getting a promotion.

“She vas brought to uz by Vole.” Dimo froze. Oggie froze. Maxim looked delighted. “De Baron beleeves She iz his niece.”

Vole. Defending the Heterodyne child.

Dimo had seen weirder things. If Vole wasn’t sent away, that means they thought he may take the troth again… that was interesting. Dimo hadn’t thought that guy would ever calm down. So. He was also working with Vole.

Eh, the guy wasn’t that bad. Maybe he could talk to Maxim about clothes.

“Now dat hyu know, hyu can deal vit him.” Khrizhan said. “Don’t break ennything.” 

“Now hyu’ve taken de fun out ov it.” Oggie grumbled. He looked more relaxed though. Dimo kicked him again, for emphasis this time.

Dimo ducked into the room first, scanning for traps. Obviously a Spark den, metal parts were scattered over the floor. That’s good, less chance she’d take them apart. Always a risk.

“Dose guys?” Vole sounded cranky as ever from where he was sitting. Dimo’s hands flicked to his knives, always good to get the brawl out of the way first, but a golden haired head popped up in Vole’s lap.

“Oh! New people!” There was a faint hint of a Mechanisburg accent there. Now that he could take a deep breath, the room was filled with the scent of a Heterodyne. Like home.

It was real.

Oggie slipped in. “Aw! Vhat a cute gurl! Remindz me ov my h’own keeds. Hy should see dat great great grandson ov mine.” Poor kid, Dimo thought. Oggie was very bouncy. He swung up the girl in one quick motion.

The Heterodyne- Agatha was her name, laughed as she was swung up and down. “You want to see my death ray?” Didn’t sound angry, that was good. A death ray? Dimo hadn’t seen one of those in a while.

“H’okay But Don’t break ennyting. Or de Generals get fussy.” Oggie said. Agatha pointed at a far corner of the room with a more organized pile of chaos. Good, that’d keep them distracted. 

Dimo practically shoved Maxim in Vole’s lap before he could finish getting up.. Those two had been friendly, they’d deal while he went and looked a death ray. 

“Ho! Vole, Hy like de jacket.” Vole growled, crushed back awkwardly by Maxim’s weight. He’ll deal.

Vole snarled, claws coming out. Maxim laughed, grinding his clank glove into Vole’s ribs in return. Ouch, Dimo knew for a fact how annoying that glove was. There, brawls aplenty. Good to see Vole hadn’t forgotten his manners at least. Dimo kept an eye on it but neither pulled out anything unfair. Vole’s growls were pitched low, almost eager but not actually angry.

Huh. Maybe Vole taking the troth was a possibility.

Ach, another brother to look after. They really were trying to promote him. Dimo shook his head, settling next to Oggie who had Agatha in a grip that was part hold, part hug. Probably good because it meant the girl didn’t see the wetness of their eyes.

Going home sounded nice. Dimo didn’t think he’d ever get that again.


End file.
